The Beauty and the Beast - my style
by Kurai Tora
Summary: Kami has struck again, cursing a certain man in the form of a nine tailed fox, and he only has until a solar eclipse to break it. But with all the powers that came along, is this really a curse?
1. Chapter 1

It was a stormy night, an old woman was knocking at the doors of a small castle, asking for shelter. The owner was still a child, at 11 years of age. She was granted entry and hospitality, but the curiosity of the boy led him to meddle with the possesions of the lady, what led to him breaking a crystal ball. "Impudent child,didn't you know that messing with things that you would never understand will lead you to your doom?" The kid had tried to apologize, but the woman had been in a sour mood, not listening him at all. "Now you will live as a demon, if you truly regret your actions, find true love before the next eclipse of the sun." A fog had enveloped him, screams could be heard, turning gradually into roars. Red fur could be glimpsed along with flailing tails. All the servants were horrorized by the scene, fleeing and wishing that the foreign person wouldn't turn on them.

"Haah... haah..." What was once a little boy, was slumped on the ground. Claws, fur, tails. He wasn't human anymore. "According to my knowledge, you have around three hundred years to do so." Golden eyes full of confusion stared onto cold ones. "Make no mistake, I merely spared you. If I wanted, I could kill you easily." She left in a swirl of mist, leaving her victim behind.

"Ugh..." The boy got up with difficulty. The house he shared with many people was now empty. A fact that hurt him deeply. 'WHY!?' He wandered aimlessly by the hallways, until he reached a mirrors. "Eh...?" 'Is this me?' Staring back to the boy was a large humanoid fox, around the height of a horse. It was so disturbing, he couldn't recognize himself. The claws were larger than a bear's, the tails gave him a weird feeling, and he struggled to stay upright. He punched the mirror, not bothering with the shards embedded in his fist. 'Now they see me as a monster... fine, then. I'll be one.' He needed a new name, so he went to the library, but there was a problem. 'My hands...' Frustrated, he simply puled books aimlessly, throwing them to the ground. After he had tired himself, he looked down, seeing an old volume about legends. A name piqued his interest. 'Kurama...'

Fire... He was holding fire, yet it didn't hurt him! It was so awesome! A cursed life didn't seem too bad now. He had gotten used to his new form and he felt free. 'What did she say? Three hundred something...' He didn't care now, not when he had powers to find about! He had 0accidentally uprooted a tree when he tried to find his strenght, his jumps reached so far, but he had fallen on his face many times before he got the hang of it. When his stomach growled, he went to find something to eat, satisfying himself with fruits. He loved to scare the peasants that wandered in the forest, suddenly jumping in front of them and watching their reactions. Hunters would occasionally gather to kill the beast, but whenever they did, all they found were footprints and booby traps improvised with vines and logs. 'Hehe! It's too fun!' Kurama simply loved to play tricks, he was still a child after all.

But even fun ends after a time, he had met a group of hunters with sharp reflexes and one had nicked him, prompting several shots aimed at him. He had barely escaped, almost falling on their clutches. "Humans..." He found a new feeling inside him, it burned as much as his wounds hurt. "I hate them!" He had ambushed them after recovering a bit, ripping their throats with ferocity and revelling on the taste of blood. 'So delicious!' He ripped off chucks of flesh and swallowed them. It was a carnage, only a single man remained. "WAAHHH! SPARE ME!" The demon crawled towards him "Tell them about me. My name is Kurama, and anyone who steps in my territory will die!" The human had pissed on his pants, running away pathetically. The sight of the blood-covered monster that had killed his partners was forever ingraved in his mind.

The servants had all fled to the villages around the castle, seeking refuge and telling the locals about what happened to the boy they once served. Like any kind of rumor, it bred itself, getting more and more decorated as the years went by, eventually becoming the local folk tale. Every time a person went missing, the blame was pinned on the cursed boy. Eventually, the cattle began disappearing as well, never to be found. But there was an upside, whenever bandits popped up, they decided to challenge the 'beast' and claim the treasures left in the castle, with a predictable outcome. The descendants of the servants had formed a cult, in which an adult bull was sent to the forest once per month, in return of protection. If one asked for permission before entering the forest, no wildlife would bother them, letting them gather herbs in peace.

At the hundred years milestone, his mind had been changed dramatically. The innocence was gone, in the previous years he had killed more people than he could count, but even that got boring. Now his days were dedicated to watch over the humans and defend his home, the forest. Many mercenaries and caravans had lost their lives there and left loot, such as food, money and general products. He kept reading the books he managed to get, having learned the trick to flip pages without tearing them, accompanying the changes in the language and the world around him. The clothing was useless to him, mainly the female ones, but he thought that it would be a waste, so he merely stashed them in his castle. His memories of being human were no more. It was somewhat interesting to hear the legends about him, he often compared them to himself, even if they were farfetched. The forest had grown, as the humans didn't dare to extract wood, for fear of angering its protector.

'I wonder if someone still remembers that I am real.'

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**As you saw, it's loosely based on the movie 'The beauty and the beast', and I added my own twist on it. It's somewhat darker and the servants weren't cursed along with him.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey~! Hinata!" Pale eyes moved from a book to a young blond man. "N... Naruto..." He was one of the village hunters, but he was somewhat dissed by the folk as all he got until now were rabbits and birds, caught by traps. "I'll take part of the next hunt, maybe I'll get a bear! Then Sakura will see how I'm great!" These words made the woman get disappointed. She closed her book and got up. "Good to know, stay safe." But before she could get away, another man blocked her path. "Hyuuga, I will bring ten deers for your hand." She pursed her lips, smiling falsely. Sasuke Uchiha, the local playboy that tried to get to her every time. 'I'm just one more mark on his bedpost.' "Excuse me sir, but my family does not have need for so much game." He flashed her an infuriating smirk. "What would you say if you and I took a walk over to the tavern and took a look at my trophies?" Exasperated by the acts of the two men that she had to endure every day, she went straight for her house.

"Welcome back sis." Hinata's sister had been rummaging through the kitchen, trying to prepare a meal for their father. "Hello, do you need help?" The younger one hesitated a little before lowering her head. "Yes." The eldest sighed, reaching for an apron. "Go get some eggs, I'll prepare something for us."

"Father?" Hinata had knocked on the door, waiting a reply. "Enter." The hinges creaked loudly, revealing a man prone over several papers. "I'll leave the food here." She just received a 'hn' back. Her father had been burying himself in his study, serving as a manager of sorts for the chief of the village. Her mother had died a few years prior due to an unknown illness, in her opinion it had been the trigger for his reclusion. "Hinata?" She left the room after hearing her cousin. "When did you come back, Neji?" He was handling the horse, taking off the dead animals to skin them. "Just now. Are you going to the library?" She nodded. "Figures, that place is your second home. Stay well." She nodded again. "You too, in the hunt."

"Hello, which books do you want now?" Shiho peered at her regular visitor from under thick glasses. "I'll try to find the ones I haven't read yet." "Okay, take your time." While she browsed through the shelves, she felt a presence behind her that was very familiar. "What did Sakura tell you?" Naruto probably had a runny nose and came to get comfort from her. It had been nice at first, but now he was over reliant on her. "She said that I can't compare to Sasuke in hunting." She sighed, putting the book back on its place. "I'm busy now." He grabbed a random book and flipped it. "But how can you read these? They have no pictures!" She took the item from his hands. "I'm sorry, but I have several errands." She went out, leaving him alone.

She had put the borrowed books in a basket and went to her favorite reading spot, but one more man had blocked her path. "Kiba..." The youth was the local dog breeder, and like most, had his sights on her. "Hinata, if you marry me, I'll give you a good life. Here, picture this: a rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little wife massaging my feet, while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. We'll have six or seven." She knew what he meant, but humored him instead. "Dogs?" "No, dear! Handsome boys like me! And do you know who is the wife?" She felt a chill going up her spine. "Let me think..." He grabbed her shoulders. "It can be you! Think about this." Now she was honestly getting ticked off, her reading time was being shortened by those suitors. "I... I don't deserve you." She had gently pried his hands off and fled swiftly.

* * *

"Haa..." Hinata was walking through a narrow path in the woods, having taken the precaution to ask for permission like her mother taught her. 'Every tradition has a reason for existing.' Such was her reasoning. She reached a clearing, made by a tree that had been struck by lightning. She sat down on the grass, taking a book from her basket. She heard twigs being crushed, but figured that it was just some deers or boars. The sounds repeated a few moments later, seemingly closer. She stood still, sudden movements could spell trouble. *Thump... thump...* Something was getting closer, it sounded like a big animal. 'Maybe it's an adult deer?' She tried to reassure herself. Then it stopped right behind her, she could hear a deep breathing. 'Don't let it be a wolf, please!' She saw a large paw right on the corner of her sight, reaching for the basket that held more books. 'Eh?' She turned around slowly, facing the origin of many legends she had heard as a child.

Kurama had been watching this curious human female that came daily, bringing books and leaving after a time. He had gotten curious, she didn't seem to be as afraid ad most villagers. 'I never saw those books before.' This had been the first time in decades that he didn't feel rage at the sight of a human. Today, he couldn't hold himself, he went and grabbed a book, starting to read it, ignoring the confused woman in front of him. 'Hmm? What does this word mean? ... it looks like gibberish.'

Hinata was deeply confused, she was facing the monster of the forest, yet she couldn't feel ill intent, it merely flipped the pages of the book. 'It knows how to read?' She gulped dryly, staring at the claws and tails. "Err..." It snapped its head towards her. "Eep! Ah... I mean... who are you?" She hoped that it wasn't angry at her. Its ears and whiskers trembled somewhat as it approached her. 'Help!' She had closed her eyes in fear, but she was just poked on the head, seeing the being pointing at certain letters in succession. 'K-u-r-a-m-a?' "Is your name Kurama?" It nodded. "I am Hinata. So you just want to read books..." It nodded again, showing a fanged grin. "Fine then. Wait, if you're the one of the legends, you must have gotten many books, right?"

Weird, this woman wasn't afraid of him. Not much at least. She had even questioned him. 'Can I trust her?' He didn't care anymore. "Ye..." His throat was a bit rusty, all he ever did was to roar or growl, never talk. "Gurrr... heck!" He coughed a little, but she had understood him anyway. "Can you take me there?" The request surprised him. 'Is she blinded by the books?' Whatever, she was powerless compared to him after all. He lowered his body after handing her books back, gesturing to his back. "Me? Ride you?" He got impatient with her fidgeting and simply threw her over his shoulder, holding the basket with one of his tails.

The surprise was too great, Hinata had to clamp her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream that could have attracted a hunter. 'Calm down! If he wanted to kill you, he'd already have done it!' She couldn't trust her body yet. To distract herself, she focused on her breathing, trying to speed it down. There were so many turns in his path, no wonder that the hunters through time had all failed to catch him. He had taken her to the castle. It had partially collapsed a long time ago, but through trial and error Kurama had made a safe room for his loot amassed until now. It was located where the great hall used to be.

'So this is the castle...' She watched as he moved the large doors. "C... gome hin..." As she had expected, there were several books, and tossed to a corner was a dusty pile of jewelry and some crates. Many books were unreadable for her, as they were more archaic, but many others were closer to the actual language. "Can we make a deal?" These words caught his attention. "You teach me how to read these older books and I'll help you to speak again. Do you accept?" An ear lifted up in interest.

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**Heh, I used some lines from the original Gaston in some male characters, trying to fit in the ones closer to canon personalities, I hope you liked it. Read and leave your opinion. **


	3. Chapter 3

The large animal had stared at her for a few moments before turning around, rummaging through the pile of trinkets. 'Is it a yes?' She was curious about what he would get. *Clink! Clanggg...* He came to her, holding something that was very dusty. "Oh?" Hinata examined it, it was a dog whistle linked to a silver chain. "This is to call you, right?" Kurama nodded at her question. "Can you take me back? If I take too long, someone might send a search party for me." He picked her up and dashed to the location where they first met.

"Sister! I almost thought that a bear got you!" Hanabi had jumped at her the instant their eyes met. "Sorry, did I make you worried?" Neji sighed in relief, he couldn't stand to lose another member of his family. His eyes picked a shine from her neck. "What do you have there?" He had gotten up and saw the whistle. "I found it in the forest, it was buried there." Strange, but considering that it used to be a trading route... "Fine. I'm relieved to see you well." The small family began eating the wild turkey he hunted.

Hinata was still up, even after her family had gone to sleep. She was scrubbing off the dirt on the whistle with her sleeve with the aid of moonlight.. When she finished, she found out that it was made from copper, having a small gravure of an oak branch. It was the first gift from a male besides Neji that she had accepted. The other were just chasing her skirt because she was one of the few available females. 'Kurama...' She recalled his appearance, he was completely covered by a burnt red fur, save for the black rim around his eyes and the brown that covered his paws up to the elbow. His tails were as thick as a horse's neck and as long as the body of one. He was surely strong to be able to carry her with a single arm, and she had felt a certain care in how he handled her. '... he was warm...' She fell asleep with a faint blush.

The lone blond was searching fruitlessly for a bear or even a wolf. He needed to prove that he could be a decent provider, otherwise no woman would see him as a provider. He looked up, noticing a faint light. 'Fire?' He went to inspect, maybe there was another fellow hunter. But the sight was one that would give him nightmares: there was a mangled man with a dying torch close to him, the paw prints around the corpse were so big. He tried to hold the bile back, but he couldn't and emptied his stomach there. It was a foreigner that he had seen once back in the village, but he never saw a human dead before.

* * *

Hinata was putting the clothes belonging to Neji to dry, having washed them after the hunt. According to him, if there was still some blood on them, the animals would be able to sniff it from afar. As she did her chore, she heard some cat calls from behind. 'Tch...' The barchelors stared at her figure, fantasizing about having her as a wife. The only thing that held them back was Neji.

After dealing with housework, she went to forest once again. This time she was eager in getting there, fingering the whistle. She blew it softly, enough to be heard for a distance. She heard rustling within the treeline, a blur landing in front of her. "Hello." He grunted a reply and picked her up, taking her to his hideout. She had taken the chance to feel the fur, threading her fingers on the strands of his neck. The only sign of his shift in focus was a twitch of ears, as his pace wasn't broken. His leaps made her feel as if she was flying, it was liberating.

Naruto had barged in the local bar, telling to the ones present about what he had found in the woods. It had prompted a recon outing to identify what killed the man. Kiba found the local of the killing pretty easily thanks to his dogs, mainly his prized breeder, Akamaru. Sasuke had found the vomit left by Naruto and mocked him. "Such a weak stomach, if you can't even handle this, how will you be a good hunter?" The trackers were identifying the prints, searching for bits of fur as well. "Sir, it was a bear. The bite and the paw format match." The Inuzuka smirked. "Alright, let's gear up and find this bad boy!"

Today Hinata decided to sort the books, taking them off the shelves and piling them with care. Kurama had been curious at first, but after she had explained her intent to him, he began helping her, speeding the job. When they finished, the fox laid on the ground, snoozing off after the workout. The girl sat close to him, enough to be able to touch his ears. He didn't refuse it, just staying still and letting her do what she wanted. She contented herself with pettting him, his fur was softer than those hunting dogs for some reason. "You're cute." This comment made him perk up slightly. "Ah, I meant your ears!" He tilted his head in puzzlement, which in turn made her jump on his neck as she messed his hair.

The group had managed to find the animal they were targetting, but it was a rather vicious bear. It killed a few men before Sasuke shot it between its eyes, a moment before Naruto. "You bastard! It was to be my kill!" The dark haired man sneered at the blond. "You lost. Maybe you still got the jitters after seeing that man?" He had enough! This man was so arrogant and had to learn a lesson! The Uzumaki lunged at the Uchiha, but the Inuzuka and the Hyuuga separated them before it got ugly. "Stop you two." What everybody had ignored for now was the five slashing scars on the bear's back, hidden under thick pelage.

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**I hope you liked it. Read and leave your opinion. **


	4. Chapter 4

When she saw what she had been doing, she took her hands off him in an instant, recalling that she was dealing with a being that could kill her easily. "I'm sorry. I must have been unreasonable lately." The fox stared at her boredly, yawning before thinking of an answer. He began wondering what made him treat her this way, different from other humans. He simply felt the need to stay close to her. He had to admit, it felt god to have company after many decades sighed and looked at the woman. "You know... if you want to do it, I won't stop you." She smiled at him, approaching him again. She began with his neck, scratching lightly like she did with dogs. "Is this good?" The fox just hmmed. She went lower, passing her hands over his shoulders down to the ribs, feeling the taut muscles underneath. "Can I keep going?" This time her reply was a twich of ears and she felt movement close to her, from his leg. 'It's like a real dog!' She stifled a giggle, making the male wonder why she stopped.

The scars were discovered during the skinning, turning into the talk of the village. The news reached the ears of a pair of drunkards, they were Jiraya and Tsunade. One was the follower of the fox cult while the other was the descendant of the hunter spared by the demon. "Aren't they talking about the bear that almost killed you?" The man thought over it. "It might be." He had the scar of a nasty bear bite on his torso. "He he, I was saved by that fox. It grabbed the bear that was chewing me as if it was a skin stuffed with straw." He drank heartily at the memory. "It dragged that animal away, then you found me and patched me up." The woman punched him lightly. "And you tried to grope me as soon as you woke up." The little exchange was heard by a certain man. 'If its still alive...'

Kurama nudged Hinata on her side, snapping her out from her fit. She saw the question in hes eyes. "Sorry, you were so cute like that." Like what? He didn't understand, so he went to pick a book. "By the way..." He hear her clearly. "Thanks for the gift, I'm really grateful." He turned his head to face her and saw her holding the whistle. He had no idea of why she was making it sound like a big deal, he gave it to her and just that. "It was a good change to meet you, my life was so boring until now." Hmm? She rarely spoke of her life to him, so what changed? "How so?" He was focused on her, the book forgotten by now. "Every day was the same for me, refusing suitors and helping with my family. The only thing I looked for was the time to go to the clearing." He was sitting on his haunches, interested on what she told him. "And my father..." Her lips began quivering. "He's a broken man after the death of my mother..." He saw her tears and decided to pull her for a hug as she let out the pain she had bottled inside her.

Neji took his skinning gear to the blacksmith once again, like he did every day. "Oh, you came a bit later this time." White eyes met brown ones. "I was busy with the talk about the bear." The woman stilled her hammer, putting it down and wiping the sweat. "Yeah, it's the rage now, just because it got scars." He put his dagger in front of her. "This again? What the hell you do that it needs to be fixed evey damn day?!" The blade was severely chipped and dull, as if it was used to cut stone. "I don't know, maybe someone has a grudge towards me." He would never admit it, but he struck it against the stone steps of his house after a hunt to have an excuse to meet the woman. "At this rate you'll need a new one before the end of the month..." Her eyes focused on the man. "And your cousin? Lately she seemed to be happier, did she get a lover?" Neji was stunned at this piece of information. "No, if she did, she would tell me... right?" And what about that damn whistle? She refused to tell him the details with a unmovable will. Tenten shrugged at his confusion. "Well, tell her that if she needs me, I'll crush the nuts of whoever tries to harass her." As she said this, she raised a pair of pliers.

The fox felt weird cradling a girl as she cried, but held Hinata until she calmed down. "Sorry for using you like this..." He merely patted her head. Days went by as the woman and the beast met in secret in the forest, with him eventually showing other powers to her, like when she fell in a river and he had to dry her clothes with his control over fire. It had been a very embarrasing event for her due to the need to undress, luckily he caught on quickly and covered his eyes at the sight of her blush then, borrowing a tail to stay in the safe side. When she stopped taking books from the library, the few people who knew her routine felt that there was something amiss, but left it alone after a while, seeing as she was completely fine.

The men of the village had seen the glow surrounding the Hyuuga, the kind that was usually born after getting a lover, so they began glaring at each other, cursing the one who was able to break past the defenses of the woman. "Brr...!" The cursed man looked around, wondering why he felt such a strong chill during summer. His fur had even bristled up. "Weird..."

**Hya dudes, I came up with a new chapter~ I hope that this story get at least close to the level of 'I'll show them all'. Read and review, please! **


	5. Chapter 5

Hinata was strolling around in her village, humming softly. "Hey girlie!" She turned to the voice, facing a woman with purple hair and another with black hair. "Kurenai, Anko..." She knew the dark haired haired one, as she was who schooled her in reading and writing, but the other she only knew by sight. "So, just between us, did you nab a man or what?" The Hyuuga blushed hard. "What?!" Kurenai stepped on Anko's foot. "Ow!" "Don't make such personal questions in public." Then she put her hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Come to my house, it's better for what we want to ask you." What was going on?

The poor girl was fidgeting on her seat under two gazes, a cup of tea was left untouched in front of her. "So...? Spill the beans already!" She fidgeted harder. "I... I'm not in a relationship..." Purple eyes narrowed. "Bullshit, you're like when she hooked up with that chimney!" Anko had gotten up, very worked up, pointing at Kurenai. "Don't call Asuma that!" The adult women seemed that they would start a cat fight. "Erm..." Their attention shifted. "I... I might... have spent time with a male..." It wasn't a lie, but if they knew the truth... "Ooh! Now we're talking!" "Pipe down! What did you mean with that?" They waited for an answer. "Um..." What could she say? She didn't even know what was their relationship, or at which point it was.

Now that she began thinking about it, she did some things that she would never do in normal circumstances. 'I trusted him with my safety... I told him about my family situation... he even almost saw me naked!' Her face began burning, making the duo of women very curious. "What now?" "Sh... she must be trying to find a way to tell us." The purple haired one pouted. "But she's redder than when I caught you and the chimney in the same bed!" Hinata heard nothing, too absorbed in her inner world.

Her heart was throbbing faintly. 'What is this feeling?' She clutched her chest, not understanding. "What do you feel?" Kurenai had grabbed her shoulders softly. "I don't know... now that I started thinking about it, I'm feeling weird..." She tightened her hold as the throbs got stronger. "I'm saying! She's acting like you did right before you figured that you loved that monkey!" Uh? Love...? Was it possible? A warmth filed her chest at the thoughts. 'I... love him...' Anko began nudging her friend. "She's got it badder than you did. Heh!" The girl bolted out of there. "You scared her away!" "Who said that it was my fault?!"

* * *

Kurama was feeling bored to death. He had already chased down all the rats that tried to eat his belongings, he had read some of the thickest books to pass time, and now he was juggling some fruits that he got from nearby trees. From time to time he threw up one and chomped it, not caring about the seeds. He didn't understand, he had been alone for a long time, already gotten used to the loneliness, so why now? He huffed, not wanting to know the answer. After the fruits were all gone, he began browsing through the knick knacks he had looted until now, sorting them to pass time until she called for him. 'Ring... collar... bracelet... the hell is this? Whatever, locket... earrings...'

His ears flicked up. "Hrm?" He got up and dashed to that place, his heart beating a little harder. The familiar scent sent his nerves in overdrive and a large smile almost split his head in half. Landing heavily and lifting some leaves and dust, he greeted Hinata, hugging her. "Hey." "H-hello..." He frowned, she was so red and warm. "Are you with a... fever?" Kurama almost panicked when he saw her sway a little, holding her arm. "I'm... I'm fine." He lifted his lips in a haf snarl. "No, you're not, I can sense it. Go home, stay there until you get better." He began pushing Hinata to the beaten dirt walkway until she walked for herself. "Take care." He watched as she disappeared between the trees, feeling a prickling in his chest. 'Strange...'

Hinata was unable to tell him. But maybe even if she told him, he wouldn't understand what she meant. This would give her more time to work what her exact feelings were. 'But it felt good to see him again...' She shook her head, feeling the flush rising again. 'Stop! Why does this happen now?' She recalled what used to happen when she still had feelings for Naruto. 'Wait... so I don't feel anything for him now?' Her head began hurting a bit from overthinking. Luckily she was close to the treeline.

Days went by as the woman and the beast met in secret in the forest, with him eventually showing other powers to her, like when she fell in a river and he had to dry her clothes with his control over fire. It had been a very embarrasing event for her due to the need to undress, luckily he caught on quickly and covered his eyes at the sight of her blush then, borrowing a tail to stay in the safe side. When she stopped taking books from the library, the few people who knew her routine felt that there was something amiss, but left it alone after a while, seeing as she was completely fine.

* * *

The hunters began coming onto strange tracks, that defied logic. They belonged to a fox, but it was as big as a bear's print and they came only from the hind paws, never the frontal ones. The men began wondering about it, exchanging ideas over beer, leading to a spark of greed in their minds. Such an unnatural being would bring fame to whoever slayed it, and they wondered how much the pelt could fetch. Sasuke had noticed that Naruto had gotten noticeably pale after hearing the news, but assumed that he was afraid of meeting the animal alone. 'I'll get it, and the Hyuuga won't have any choice.' He smirked to himself, the woman was the only one who hadn't fallen for his looks, so there was the thrill of the chase. As for the blonde, he was nervous. He had to find it before someone else did. 'Sakura...' He gripped his fists.

The woman for whom the Uzumaki fell for, Sakura Haruno, had a grudge towards the local beauty, Hinata. She felt threatened by how the men flocked to the Hyuuga, even her beloved Uchiha. 'I bet that it's all a front! That wench must have bedded many men! To think that nobody can see past her looks...' She was biting her nails, thinking of ways to get at her bitter rival. She had once tried to spread rumors, counting on the gossip-loving housewives, but her efforts were for naught and she had even received glares. 'Chet! I must find something!' Then it hit her. 'Her trips to the forest! I'll find out what she does there!'

Kurama had noticed the movements of the hunters, they were starting to follow his tracks, forcing him to be extra careful to not let them meet Hinata. It would be bad if they found out about their connection. Thinking of this, he told Hinata of his plan in their last meeting. He intended to stay away until the hunters lost interest. She clutched his paw on her hands. "But..." She didn't want any harm to befall on him. "Okay." She accepted it, even though she wanted to say 'stay'. They shared a brief hug before he leapt away. But they didn't notice that they were watched.

'Found it!' The pinkette smirked from behind a tree. 'Your mask will fall!'

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**Sorry for that Leonas, it's my style of writing, where each paragraph is a scene, kind of. Did it get better now? Read and review, please!**


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura had gone to the village and began spreading the news about Hinata and who she met in the woods every day. Albeit she hadn't heard anything, only the sight of them together was enough for her. At first people didn't trust her word, already knowing of the grudge she had towards the Hyuuga, but when they stopped to think, it was really strange that she went to the forest without books. All the hunters decided to give her a chance, maybe she was right, deciding to follow the woman the next time she went in the woods.

When Hinata returned, she heard the murmurs, but they stopped as soon as people saw her. Then she saw the looks of her sister and cousin. 'Did I do something wrong?' She went through her usual routine till the next day, then she went to the clearing to distract herself, taking wool and a knitting set with her.

The hunters tailed her at a distance, careful to not alert her towards them, otherwise they would lose the beast. They waited when she sat down at an old trunk and began knitting. Hours went by and nothing popped up, she just started a piece of clothing then went home. This fact frustrated the more hotheaded men, who went to the Haruno and chewed her out, telling her to stop spreading lies and venting their anger.

Sasuke had stayed put, mulling over what he knew from legends. He knew that some were exaggerated, but there were some truths within, probably the power to bewitch whoever gazed on its eyes was one of them. It would explain why the Hyuuga hadn't fallen for his looks. 'If I kill it, the spell will be broken.' A smirk twisted his mouth.

Every day at least one hunter went to follow Hinata in hopes of finding the beast, but at the same time their will weakened and the numbers dwindled, convinced that it was one more lie made by spite. In the end of fall and into winter, the only one who still persisted was Naruto, his determination being the only thing that kept him from faltering. "Sakura..."

* * *

Kurama had gone far away from the village, hoping that Hinata was alright. He intended to return when winter was halfway through, and being it the start of fall it would take a long time.

He hunted, he explored, he did anything to keep himself occupied. Otherwise he'd start wondering how she was. Whenever he thought of the possibility of her forgetting him, he'd feel like he did in that night, when he almost died. "Kuh-" He ended scaring off the hare he was aiming. 'Why does it hurt?' Usually he calmed down by thinking of her, but when he recalled the times she complained about suitors, he'd bristle up and feel a sharp pain in his chest.

He wasn't the only one in this situation. Hinata also had her own fears, she dreaded the day she went to the clearing in spring and he ended never showing up. She feared that he would disappear from her life, moving to a distant land, where she would never find him.

She became gloomier, worrying her family, as it happened suddenly. But she kept a facade for the outside people. "What's wrong?" They tried to get an answer, but she always found a way to stray from the subject. From what Neji saw, she acted like a widow, but she didn't have a relationship with any man of the village until where he knew. 'Did she get involved with a foreigner?'

While sitting on a cliff, Kurama was gazing at the distance, towards the direction of Hinata's village. He frowned, if he was human their troubles wouldn't even exist. "But if I hadn't turned into a demon, I'd never have had the chance to meet her..." He couldn't decide anymore, was this form a curse or a blessing? For decades he had ignored this, fully accepting what he was, but now? He'd give anything to be with her without fear. He felt a warm liquid running down from his eye. "Fuh... and I thought that I couldn't cry anymore..."

* * *

What nobody knew, was that the Eclipse was drawing closer.

"The clock is ticking, hurry up."

* * *

**I hope you liked it. Read and leave your opinion. I have a special twist planned as well. **


	7. Chapter 7

Hinata had been knitting scarves to put her mind off Kurama, and there was the convenient fact that winter had arrived when she was finishing the third scarf. When it finished and spring came, then she'd be able to meet him again. 'Are you safe?' She clutched the whistle around her neck.

Sakura was seething, her plan had backfired badly. Not only she had become the epitome of spiteful jealousy to people, Hinata had gotten even more male attention. 'It must be the spell of that fox!' In her downward spiral of obsession and grudge, her mind had become more and more warped, changing her demeanor drastically towards her 'rival' and sparking a new mentality. 'Kill that bitch!' Her eyes showed her state of mind. 'She stained the village with that devil's spell! I must save Sasuke!' She picked a hunting knife fron her father. It was thin and sharp, perfect for stabbing. "Kill..." This was her mantra as she searched for her target, muttered endlessly until she found the harlot with HER man.

At first Hinata was trying to fend off the advances of the Uchiha, then she suddenly felt a burst of pain from her stomach and tasted some blood rising to her mouth. "What are you doing Sakura?!" The man had screamed and she looked down, seein the blade still embedded in her flesh, then she turned to stare at the insane eyes of the pinkette, feeling the blood wetting her clothes. "Why?" She fainted afterwards, both from shock and blood loss.

One woman was taken to the medic while the other was thrown to the gallows. "LET ME OUT! I'M SAVING THE VILLAGE!" She banged on the metal bars, acting liked a rabid animal. "Shut up." A shotgun was shoved on her face, Neji being the wielder. "WHY ARE YOU SIDING WITH THAT WITCH?!" He sneered at her, wishing he could simply shoot at her head and get over it, but there were rules. She would get judged and receive her sentence. he hoped she would get the death penalty, but considering her gender, this was improbable. He turned around and went to see if his cousin would survive, the mere existence of the Haruno made him sick.

"How is she?" He had seen Tsunade as she exited the room where Hinata was. "Neji... I did the most I could do for her, but now, it's all up to her will to live." He cringed, these words meant she was still in risk of dying. "Damn... Now I really want to kill that maniac!" He punched the wall, frustrated with himself. "Neji... is sis..." Hanabi was at the door of their house, almost crying. "Come here." She buried her face in his clothes, fearful for her sister's life. The blonde watched the scene with a heavy heart, wishing the best for them. Hiashi had arrived a bit later and glanced at her, just to receive a negative shake. The man clenched his fists, regretful of being so absent.

* * *

As he was searching for shelter, Kurama felt a jolt and got worried. 'Did something happen, Hinata?' He threw caution to the wind, running as fast as he could, braving through the snow and the piercing winds. "Kuh-!" The cold was like a knife and sometimes there was hail, forcing him to protect his head, lest he got blinded or knocked out.

* * *

Sakura was facing the council, knowing full well that they held her fate. They all watched her with disdain, as she had a bad name with many of their relatives. The only sympathetic face belonged to the mayor, Minato, as she was the crush of his son and reminded him a bit of Kushina. "Tell us the reason to assault Hinata Hyuuga." The scripturer, Hiashi, froze at this and directed a murderous glare to her. "I had discovered her meetings with the demon of the forest-" Murmurs rose at this. "And I knew that I had to save the village! It was her or us!" *Snap-* The Hyuuga broke the pen with his grip and lunged at her, only to get restrained.

The Namikaze sighed, the way she looked made it clear that she was going insane. "Thanks for your... bravery, but I fear that we have to send you to the manicomy."

* * *

The two cousins kept watch alternately over Hinata, caring for her and praying for her health. She slept most of the time, but whenever she woke up, no matter how brief it was, they fed her as much soup they could, not wanting her to starve.

It hurt so much... Hinata felt both her stomach and eyes burning, idly recalling the knife and the pink haired woman. Shifting briefly into consciousness and back, she knew that she had to survive. "Ku... rama..." She feared what he'd do if he didn't find her and decided to come searching for her. She'd hate to be the cause of his death.

Neji perked up when he heard his cousin. 'Kurama?' Maybe she was hallucinating due to her fever, but still... was that the name of her lover? If so, why wasn't he in the village? Or did she get involved with someone from another village? "... wait... there..." Tsk... if he got his hands on this bastard...

* * *

** Well, one more chapter, filled with drama and the fuse for a confrontation, stay tuned and review your opinions. **


	8. Chapter 8

Sasuke was annoyed by Sakura's actions, if Hinata died his planning would go to the trash. Fortunately she was locked up and wouldn't be able to get out so early. 'Must keep my guns polished.' Then he saw his fellow hunter Neji. 'Gee, he looks like a corpse.'

Neji struggled to hold his house up, his cousin was torn because of her sister, becoming apathetic, and his uncle had buried himself even further in work like an alcoholic did with their vices. 'Please Hinata, return to us, you're what kept us spirited...' He would stay by her side whenever he could, hoping that she would get better and leave that damn bed. Then he heard knocking and went to see who was, who'd go out during a storm? "Miss Kurenai, why are you out in this weather?" The red eyed woman had come to check on Hinata.

Kurenai was worrying for the girl, as she had become like a daughter in her heart. "That Sakura should have received the death penalty!" She knew that Minato was lenient because of his son's affection towards the girl, but it wasn't nothing more than a blatant show of favoritism. "I agree, what she did was unforgivable!" Then they began making small talk, mostly her getting info on Hinata's situation and him hearing what was going on in the village.

In the meanwhile, Minato was trying to advance in his paperwork. "Hiashi, can you give me the report on the food stock?" A pile of paper was slammed in front of him, startling him. "Here." He stared at his assistant. "Why are you this angry?" The man shot a dark look at the blond. "If someone had killed Naruto... which sentence would you give to the killer?" Minato was stunned. "Death penalty of course!" He just received a dry chuckle. "Yet you didn't let me get this satisfaction." Hiashi got up. "What makes her different?" He saw his friend frown. "My son loves her." He struggled to not hit him on the face, lest he got locked up. "Stop with your damn favoritism!" Then he turned around and stormed off.

Minato crumbled on his chair, scratching his head. "Dang... I just pissed off my best assistant, and he's right... why do I keep shielding Naruto?" He knew the answer, after his wife had died due to a rogue pack of wolves, he had decided that he'd protect their child, but it seemed to have backfired, as the youth had a hard head and was fond of hard options. 'Kushina... what should I do?'

* * *

Hinata had been in a meadow for an indistinct amount of time, just appreciating the scenery and peace. In this dream, she had ran away and went to a new place, away from that stressing life. Here, she was free from obligations, she didn't own explanations to no one and could do whatever she wanted.

She felt a familiar presence behind her and smiled brightly, getting up to hug the fox she knew over time. "It's good to see you, even if it is just a dream." The feel of his fur and his arms around her were all recreated from her memories, but it was better than nothing. "I wish we could be together, without fear." She felt the hug get tighter from his end, which brought up a smile. "I'm glad that I met you, dream or not. I hope that you can return soon."

She looked up at his face to try and read his expression. 'Oh yeah, it's a dream...' Then he pushed her away as a sudden whirlwind picked up and snow began covering the area in moments. She got confused, in the midst of the snowstorm she saw glimpses of leather and fur clothes, what was happening to him? Then it died down and she lowered her arms, seeing a man in the place of the fox. But she knew those eyes, even if they were covered by that red hair, they were as fierce as ever. He was facing the Uchiha and Uzumaki with a scowl, shielding her. Was this some sort of omen? "Kurama..."

* * *

Kurama had rushed as much as he could, but he was still a living being and fell prey to fatigue, falling on the snow and passing out, but it was right at the village. "Gh-! Hinata..."

* * *

**Well, one more chapter, stay tuned and review your opinions.**


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto raised his head when he heard the door open. "Hey dad..." The older man had a wry smile, his son obviously was about to ask that question. "Why did you put Sakura in lockdown?" He didn't want to have this conversation, even more after what Hiashi told him. "Son, she stabbed a fellow villager, I couldn't let her stay out and endanger more people." Minato had a fist clenched behind him, recalling the times she bullied his son. "But I know her! She wouldn't do something like this! You should forgive her!" This brat... he truly messed up his upbringing. "Even though the person she almost killed was your best friend, Hinata?" Naruto was stunned, not believing in his ears. "Hinata?! Is she alright?" Time to drop the test. "No, she's at death's door, because of your 'Sakura'." Minato sighed at the confused expression, maybe he only heard the bits that said that Sakura had attacked a person, not knowing who.

* * *

Hinata was confused due to her dream, still trapped in her unconscious state. "What did that mean? Will I have to make a decision? The village, or Kurama..." Unnoticed by anyone, her body moved slightly in real life.

* * *

Jiraya was nursing a mug of beer, watching the hunters discuss about the mysterious beast of the forest. 'Haah... why can't they drop the subject? If they pry too much the fox might get angry.' He didn't have animosity towards it, owning his life to it and knowing that the forest was a place out of village laws, only the strong and the ones with common sense lived. 'Un... and even though I was wounded, it didn't try to attack me. Maybe he was a cursed human?' He had heard of many legends like that, so there should be at least one sliver of truth. "Hunf, he's our protector and those fools want to kill him." He kept musing over the strange existence that had rescued him so long ago. 'But the Hyuuga... He has good taste!' Letting out a pervy giggle, he chugged down the remainder of the beer.

Naruto had heard his father berate him and couldn't stand it, running away to the bar. He was trying to mingle while holding a mug, disheartened. Then everybody began shifting from the beast to the Hyuuga girl, discussing about her situation and some betted on her health, trying to figure if she'd live or die with morbid curiosity.

* * *

Neji had gotten out, going to the shed to get more firewood, but on his way there he bumped on something. "Hrm?" He scooped the snow out of the way and found a man passed out. "Shit!" He put the arm of the stranger around his neck and took him to the house, praying that it wasn't too late. After telling Hanabi to wrap the man with several pelts, he went to get Tsunade.

* * *

**Well, one more chapter, stay tuned and review your opinions.**

**Goddamn... why did you kill my inspiration Kami? "I thought it'd be fun." Bitch. "Thanks for the praise~"**


	10. Chapter 10

Minato watched as his son got plastered and decided that it was enough, dragging him away from the bar. "Leave me alone!" The brat tried to pry his grip away, but only got a hard glare. "I raised a coward..." He pushed the younger male into their household, making him hit a shelf. "Dad..." Naruto was confused, the man always gave his best to make him feel better. "Shut up and hear me. I wronged your mother by raising you like this, but it'll stop! I'll straighten you and make you someone who Kushina would be proud to call her child! No matter how... I will."

* * *

A few lesser gods scattered around as a certain woman crashed on the plaza. "Ow... you still have a wicked left hook Ammy!" The sun goddess wasn't up for idiotic quips, hurling a load of spears on the insane female. "Infinite Spear Wor- urk!" Kami received a stomp to the mouth before she could finish. "Why did you do that? It's my world to alter." The ironically icy glare didn't faze her. "Shits and giggles." The deadpan tone did the trick and the troll found herself flung towards Hell, the Lovecraftian one. "Hello Cthulhu."

"How I'm going to fix this?" The sun deity gazed down at the orb. "You could have started by making the dude human, I don't think that the chick's a furry." She didn't even look as she threw a fireball at the dumbass. "I never asked you." "Love you too." She gripped her hair in anger, muttering string upon string of curses. 'Tch... I really hate when she's right!'

* * *

Tsunade was pissed off by Neji as he took her away from her alcohol and warm room into the snow, but her medical instincts were making her focus at the possible emergency. It was a while until they got there and Hanabi was already gong frantic. The blonde barked orders to the cousins and proceeded to examine the man, noting that he looked like an albino with white eyes. 'So the Hyuuga aren't the only ones.'

She checked for any possible ailments from being on the snow for too long but the man was somewhat healthy, just malnourished and unconscious. "Well, there's nothing more I can do, we need to wait until he wakes up to get info." Neji nodded in understanding, accompanying her to the door for courtesy.

The man sighed after the blonde went to her home, glancing warily at the stranger. Then he saw a glint on his neck and found a locket with 'Toneri Ootsutsuki' engraved. 'Toneri... who are you?' His instincts were screaming at him that he was dangerous, so he tied him to a log for safety, including the legs. Hanabi saw his handiwork and scrutinized it fire a while. "He looks like a pig about to be roasted." The older Hyuuga had to clamp a hand to his mouth, otherwise he'd burst out in laughter.

"Let's go to bed." The girl almost complained, pouting in annoyance, but relented. "Good night..." He patted her head. "You too, firecracker." She didn't say this out loud, but it felt nothing like the hug her sister would give to her every night before the tragedy. 'When will you wake up, sis?'

* * *

Kurama stirred slightly, his fatigue had faded a little, enough for him to get up and go to his den deep in the woods. "Chet... at least I wasn't found." He brushed away his tracks, not wanting hunters on his tails. Still... he struggled to get away from the village, as he wanted to get at least a glimpse of the woman. 'Forget it, you'll have time later...'

He kept chanting the reasons he couldn't meet her yet, but he couldn't help but feel a hole in his chest, as if something dreary had affected Hinata.

* * *

**Well, one more chapter, stay tuned and review your opinions.**


	11. Chapter 11

Heavy white eyes struggled to open. 'Where am I?' The man looked around him, finding himself in a upside down position and that he was tied up. "What the hell?!" He tried to wriggle his hands off the ropes, he couldn't transform in a place that could have humans around. Then he stilled when he heard a door open. "So you're awake." A man with similar eyes to his got in, glaring at him. "Toneri, right?" How the fuck he knew? Then he recalled his locket. "Yes. And you are?" Toneri saw the glare worsen. "Tch, it isn't you..." What was the deal with that murmur? His fine hearing heard every grating note within. 'Maybe he got something against foreigners.'

After a glaring competition, he was freed, but not without getting some death threats. He saw himself without his supplies, but if he rushed out right now, he'd risk his life. He made himself as subservient as possible to not arouse suspicion. "Here." A bowl of gruel was put before him. At his quizzical look, there was an exasperated sigh. "Letting guests die brings bad luck." With this, Neji went out. Toneri just ate in silence, intent in getting his strenght back. He examined his surroundings, seeing as the house was rustic, but sturdy, just right for standing against the winter storms.

He felt something not human in the house, it was so familiar... 'Another cursed one?' He went up the steps, getting closer to the presence, finding a young woman resting on a bed. 'Hn? She's completely human, but I can sense remains of a strong curse...' He checked her, taking in her features and the fact that she was obviously in a coma. 'She must have found a first generation if she's still alive.' The curse must have been pretty strong to latch on a second party to this extent, but it was a stroke of luck for this woman, as otherwise she would have died already. 'But the only way for her to awaken is to meet the source again.' Still, he had to find out which kind of cursee was the original. 'Should I check the forest?' The trees at the distance looked ominous to him.

* * *

Kurama kept padding in circles, hidden by the trees from the occasional trapper. He felt dread and had the nagging feeling that something terrible had taken place in his absence. His priorities shifted temporarily when he saw a foreigner enter his territory.

Toneri decided to bite the bullet and went into the woods, being careful to not let himself be seen by villagers. He went in a roughly straight line, figuring that the 'beast' he heard about would be living at the center. He kept alert, sure that it was the predator kind.

Kurama was wary of the newcomer, ready to go for the kill if the need arose. He kept himself out of sight, rounding around the man.

Toneri felt nervous, as if he was facing his ancestor, Kaguya. He tried to find the second presence, the source of the potent energy that was present in the uncounscious woman back at the village. "Hey, if you can hear me, I have news from someone you know!" He gulped, praying that it wasn't a misjudgement.

Kurama got curious, his pupils dilated in alert and he revealed himself, showing his claws and fangs to curb any funny attempts.

Toneri was shocked, this was the first time he saw a fox with nine tails. 'Kuh... it's like her...' He held the urge to flee. "Do... do you know a woman in the village? Pale, dark hair and eyes like mine?" He saw the tensing, as if the fox were about to pounce. "Calm down, I'm not a foe. Listen, she was attacked, long before I met her-" Several claws marks appeared on the trees and he winced. "I came from a tribe that accepts your kind... I myself am like you." He let out some of his cursed traits, namely, rabbit ears and claws. "See? Well, you can help her by just meeting her. I can bring her here."

Kurama was eyeing the man, recognizing that he had respect for him at least. He had considered going after Hinata personally, but he was simply too noticeable. "Fine. But if you hurt her..." He flashed his canines, smirking when the man flinched. "I understand, but it might take a while, I can't make them suspect me. I'll also try to find out who hurt her. I'm sure that you're itching to know." A growl was enough of an answer.

* * *

Neji found a bag a distance from the house, finding several logs and writing tools. His curiosity led him to take it home and check them.

"What is this?" He was shocked by the contents of the diaries. They described many kinds of curses - turning into beasts, part of bodies becoming a certain element, unnatural powers and much more. He couldn't stop reading, learning more and more about the cursed people. Their traits were passed by blood, generating hybrids. There were several advices on how to deal with them, but none were about how to kill.

Then he came upon a more detailed description of beastkin, finding several parallels with the mythical beast of the forest. 'Who wrote these?' He tried to find a name, only to see the initials T.O. 'That bastard has a lot to explain!'

* * *

**Well, one more chapter, stay tuned and review your opinions.**


	12. Chapter 12

Like he had promised to Kurama, Toneri had gone to get information on Hinata's attacker. Entering in one of the few bars, he mingled and laid low, searching for an opportunity to make the dreaded question. He got the chance with a drunk man with red lines on his face. "Hic- Hyuuga, huh... it was quite a tragedy, a girl stabbed her and is now at the manicomy." "Why? Aren't murderers usually put down?" "This case... it was because the criminal was the sweetheart of the mayor's son." "I see." "Kahaha! But it's much better to not see that ugly pink again!" The quasi albino slinked away, searching for the mentioned building.

When he got there, he sneaked in as a bunny, using the several blind spots available, taking the time to snach some keys. He knew that the fox wouldn't want to leave until he got some sort of revenge. 'Pink...' It took a while, but he managed it. After finding the target, he pretended to be on her side. "I'll help you escape, just follow me." The girl didn't even question his intentions, only wanting to get out. They wandered into the forest, with him keeping a tight grip on her wrist. "Hey, shouldn't we take a trail?" Sakura tried to pull back, but it was futile, Toneri kept pulling her deeper in the woods.

She was getting desperate, this foreign man surely had some evil intent for her. A growl made her freeze, the demon was there! Her abductor threw her on the clearing, on the feet of the fox. Furious golden eyes drilled on her, the vicious snarl making her soil herself. She didn't even have time to scream as Kurama bit off her head, spitting it far afterwards.

Toneri didn't even twitch, already used to similar scenes. "Now, I'll get her." He only received a grumble in answer as the fox went to search for a river to wash the blood. He also had to get his supplies, lost somewhere in the snow. 'I hope that nobody found it...'

* * *

Toneri sneaked back in the house, but froze on his tracks at the sight of his bag on the hands of Neji. 'Crud! He must have figured it...' A shotgun aimed directly at his chest kept him from trying to flee. "What do you want to know?" The brunet had a fierce glare, there were several questions in his mind, but he chose the most pressing one. "You wrote about how curses latch on others, is that what happened with my cousin?" Toneri figured that he meant the female upstairs.

"Yes, that happened with her." Neji growled. "I'm going to kill that demon!" Toneri took the chance to wrench the gun off his hands. "Listen to me. I know more than you do, and I say... if you kill him, you can say farewell to your cousin." The Hyuuga was furious. "Are you threatening her?!" The man shook his head. "I'm merely stating a fact. Their lives are linked, that's why she's still alive, even with that wound." Neji frowned with worry for his cousin. "Then, what can I do to help her? Nobody in the village could help her..."

"It's because the one who can is in the woods." Neji stared at the man with disbelief. "Like I just said, the curse works like a bond. As long the one with the original curse stays alive, their mate will live by their side." He grimaced. "So... because of a curse... she'll have to live with a demon...?" Toneri stomped his foot. "Look here, I'm done with you humans and your stupid prejudices!" He gripped the metal, almost bending it. "You won't keep me from giving her to him." With this, he made his way upstairs.

Neji broke out of his shock and chased the man, but was a moment too late. He watched as Toneri leapt from the window with Hinata on his arms, landing on the snow and quickly dashing towards the forest. Blue eyes and onyx ones had seen the Ootsutsuki escape with the female.

"Move! We have to get the horses!" Neji barked to Naruto and Sasuke to get their weapons and then proceed to chase the kidnapper. 'I'll save you, little sis...'

* * *

Toneri had changed partly to a rabbit to get a speed boost, tracing his steps towards the place where he last saw the fox. Whe he got to the clearing, he carefully laid the female on the ground, having taken the precaution of wrapping her on a bear fur. "Hey! I'm ba-" The fox landed in front of him before he could finish.

"Hinata..." Kurama took her on his arm, nuzzling her and taking in her scent. "Do you love her?" Gold met white, both males were staring at each other.

* * *

**Well, one more chapter, stay tuned and review your opinions.**


	13. Chapter 13

Toneri was the first to look away. "I understand. Then, I'll tell you how to get to my village." He pointed to a constellation that formed a cross. "See those stars? If you follow them along with the rising sun, you will get there." Kurama nodded in understanding, but froze when he felt Hinata move. He looked at her face, watching as she opened her eyes slowly. "Mm... K... Kurama...?" He smiled in joy and nuzzled her. "Yes, I'm back." It took a while until she noticed that they had company. "Greetings miss, my name is Toneri." "Hinata." She was about to say more when the males tensed. Extending out his rabbit ears, Toneri found out what was going on. "Three horses are running around the forest, surely with hunters. We have to move." The group moved to the abandoned castle, buying some time.

The albino was surprised at the amount of valuables that Kurama obtained through the years. "Do you want to take those things?" The fox seemed to consider it, but Hinata found a problem. "But isn't there too much to carry?" The rabbit took out a wad of seals. "In a normal situation, yes. But I have one skill that I inherited from my ancestor, I can send objects marked with my symbol to the moon or do the reverse." Kurama did feel some attachment to his belongings. "Do it." Toneri smiled and got ready. "While I prepare myself, can you recover my bag? It should be at your house Hinata."

She let herself be carried by Kurama in the way back and took the chance to make some questions. "Where are you going after he finishes?" He looked at the female on his arms. "_We_ are going to a village that will accept our relationship." She ran her fingers through his fur, taking comfort in his presence. "... I love you." He smiled and tightened his grip a little. "I love you too." She thought about her family. "How long did I sleep?" "I don't know, but at least three months went by since we last met." She winced at the time she must have spent uncounscious while her family worried over her. "I'll go with you, but let me write a letter?" He nodded and lowered his pace, already close to her house.

Hinata didn't have to search long for Toneri's bag, as it was laying on the floor, with some of the contents spilled around. She gathered the supplies and got some travelling gear for herself, quickly jotting a letter for her family. Then, she went to meet Kurama, who was hiding at the forest's border. "Ready?" She smoothed the fur on his neck. "Yes." He took her on his arms and went to meet the rabbit. On the way there, she used the time to reminisce about the time they spent together, smiling a little at the memories. She would miss her family, but she was sure that they could get over her escape.

* * *

Neji was searching frantically for footprints along with Sasuke and Naruto, all them carrying their guns and alerts to any unnatural sound. They circled around to find any clues, but what they didn't know was that both the fox and the bunny were used to tree hopping to hide their tracks. Naruto caught sight of red and called his companions to search. "I hope that it isn't Hinata's blood." They followed the splatters to a clearing, only to find a dreary scene. "S-sakura-chan..." The body was slumped on one side of the space while a partially chewed head was lying across it. THe blonde got off his horse and went to cradle the remains of his crush, wailing and cursing the forest demon.

Neji had to hide his smirk under a frown, silently thanking the beast. "Naruto, we can mourn her later, Hinata needs our help." "Dope, we can't waste our time on people who are already dead, we can bury her later." The dark haired men turned their rides to explore more of the forest. Naruto struggled but relented, doing a quick prayer and rushing after the two. They struggled to find any clues to find either the kidnapper or the monster, without much luck.

"We should get more men to search." Neji was losing his patience and decided to go to the village to get more manpower. "I'll leave things with you guys, please find my cousin." The two friends exchanged looks and nodded, spurring their horses to pick speed and breaking ways to cover more ground.

It took a while for Neji to convince the able-bodied men to join his hunt, but the prospect of finally nailing down the beast was too tempting to pass up and soon the Hyuuga had a sizable number of riders following him. On the way into the forest, he thought of what Toneri had told him about the bond, but dismissed it as a bunch of lies and got more decided to slay the fox and the Ootsutsuki.

* * *

When the couple met the bunny, the males tensed again, this time hearing an even larger number of horses running in the distance. The hunters had accidentally surrounded the trio and would soon catch sight of them.

Kurama had decided to make a distraction so Toneri could take Hinata to a safe place. As soon as the bunny was out of sight, he turned to the direction of the incoming hunters, attracting them with a roar and leading them away to a chase. He ran ahead from the horses until he ended on a dead end, a cliff. Every hunter had their guns trained on him, eager to pull the trigger. The one heading the crowd had a particularly sadistic smirk, his onyx eyes shining with glee.

Toneri had taken his charge to a vantage point, from where they could see the predicatement. Hinata was praying for Kurama's life, fearing that he could end dying. Gunshots rang like thunder and she watched with horror as he fell from the cliff, giving a last roar.

* * *

**Well, one more chapter, stay tuned and review your opinions. Try not to kill me, please.  
**


	14. Chapter 14

Toneri had to hold Hinata with all he had so she wouldn't run off and end up meeting the hunters. "Let me go! I have to see him!" The struggle went on until every hunter was out of his hearing range. He then frowned, she was still perfectly fine... 'Maybe he...' He took the woman and threw her over his shoulder, ignoring the hits on his back and the screams, focusing on getting down the rocky face as safely as possible. He slipped a few times, but the claws on his feet helped to secure footing. He would glance around in intervals, searching for even the tiniest hint of rusty red. At the moment, the only thing that confirmed that Kurama was alive was Hinata.

He put her down when they got to the base and he dashed around the area to find where the fox had landed. After scrambling for a while, he caught sight of a prone form on the snow, with a familiar red. He took the female to the spot and turned Kurama to his back with her help. Hinata took his head on her lap, waiting for him to open his eyes. "Wake up... please..." Toneri frowned at the scene, maybe the fall had done some damage, and he didn't see any bullet wounds on the chest. He rummaged in his bag and pulled a small vial. "What's that?" The female was watching him with aprehension. "I'll help him. This is blood from a special brand of cursed one, one drop and recovery is assured." He opened the jaws and dropped some of the contents in, massaging the throat to make the fox swallow.

It took a grueling time until she saw the whiskers tremble slightly, giving her hope. More time passed until he opened his eyes and looked up at her. "... Idiot..." She hit him lightly on the middle of his eyes and hugged his neck, receiving a few soothing rubs on her arms. Toneri felt a bit awkward for watching the scene unfold. He chose to wait until the two lovebirds noticed him again. But they didn't, engaging in a snuggle session while ignoring his existence. He felt a vein pop on his temple, holding back the snark. He decided to do something about the situation and gave a loud handclap, making the couple jump. "Now that I have your attention again, can we go?"

Hinata was burning with embarassment and hid her face on Kurama's fur. "We'll part ways here." Toneri adjusted his bag and turned to leave. "I hope that you have a good life." He dashed over the snow until he blended with it on the distance. The fox picked his companion and looked at the stars to find his way, leaving a deep trail on the snow.

* * *

Neji had returned home in a glum mood, not being able to find his cousin nor Toneri. His only relief was that the forest demon was finally dead. He opened the door and took off his hunting gear, about to freshen up. His eyes fell on a slip of paper on the table. 'It wasn't there before I left...' He picked it and the calligraphy almost made him drop it as if it were on fire. 'That's her style!' He gulped and steeled his resolve.

_Neji, Hanabi and father, I am writing this letter to tell you that I am  
going with the one I love to a place where we will be accepted. You  
may know him as a demon, but to me he is the most caring person  
I ever met, so please, try to understand my decision. I will always  
remember you, so try to live without me. Tell father, that even if he  
became distant, I still love him. I wish that you stay well, goodbye.  
__Hinata._

He keeled over, barely standing under the guilt he felt. He had sent a group after the one his cousin loved, so she would now have every reason to despise him and never return. Then it hit him, and if Toneri was really telling the truth about the bond? 'Oh gods... I'm a murderer...' He had ignored the crucial information and his punishment was to know that his hands were indirectly stained by the blood of his dear cousin. "Hinata..." He screamed in regret and guilt, asking for forgiveness.

* * *

The journey to the demon village was a long one, but the couple had stood against the test of the elements, finally reaching an area that had a different feel from everywhere else. "We did it Kurama..." They watched when some winged people landed on the trees around them, looking at them with curiosity. A black-haired kid had approached the fox from behind and pulled on one of his tails, quickly darting to safety when he growled at the offender. From the treeline surfaced an ancient looking man with the visage of a gnarly tree. "Welcome to our haven, feel free to settle on the area that suits you best."

It was fairly easy to set up a place to live, as Kurama dug a tunnel gallery on a mountainside with the help of moles and rabbits, making large rooms for more comfort. The neighbors helped the couple to get accostummed with the new life. There were some brief moments when Hinata would imagine having a curse as well. It led to her inquiring if there was really a curse to be broken. Kurama had never reverted, even after they tied the knot of their union. 'Maybe it was the curse of being isolated...' She still could remember when she first met her husband, a misunderstood victim of circumstances.

Toneri would sometimes pass by the region, having left Kurama's treasures in the first time he did. He and Hinata would chat, with him answering her questions and presenting some important figures. It was an interesting experience for her.

Like with every married couple, soon came the kids, and the first to be born was a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. Hinata was resting in the bedroom, with Kurama watching over her. "How will we call them?" The fox nuzzled his children, both looked like regular infants with animal ears and tail. "You decide, mommy." She hugged his neck when he got close enough.

* * *

Pale eyes widened at the sight of a familiar face. "Toneri..." The rabbit said nothing, leaving a closed letter on the ground and departing. "Neji..."

Hanabi got confused when she saw the man cry as he read the contents. "She's alive...!"

* * *

**Well, last chapter, read and review your opinions.  
**


	15. Chapter 15

The sight of Neji breaking down from reading a letter led to Hiashi and Hanabi deciding to inquire him about what happened years ago, when Hinata disappeared. The man bowed to his family apologising profoundly and explaining the details of his meeting with Toneri. "He had warned me that if the fox died, Hinata would die too... But I had dismissed it then, and until now I truly thought that she was gone." Father and daughter were shocked at the revelation, having thought that she had been taken by a stranger.

The next time Toneri met the small family, he received a request that he had already expected to hear. "Can you take us to Hinata?" He saw the expressions of hope and relented, briefly recalling the last time he met the young woman. 'Lucky of her...' All he had now was a pseudo homicidal ancestor that was kept in permanent lockdown. He made them promise to not take rash decisions and they began the travel to the distant village.

On the way there, he bonded with the group, getting to know some things about their lives and past. Through their story, he got a sneaking suspicion that they had more bonds besides knowing Hinata. Memories of a long disappeared uncle only made it stronger. 'Maybe I do have more relatives in them.' He let himself have a spark of hope, however small it was.

* * *

Toneri led them to a clearing, showing them to a massive fox that was just laying on his back on the grass, napping the day away. "Kurama, your in-laws are here." He woke up groggily, getting up slowly while two small lumps of purple fur fell from his chest. Indignant yips began ringing as the lumps revealed themselves to be smaller versions of their father. "Sorry, daddy forgot." The humans then noticed that the fox kept his left arm pressed to his side. "Hina, your family's here." The woman moved the long fur off her face to confirm what he said.

Hinata was shocked at what she saw, she had thought that she would never see her family again, yet they were right there. She went to them, taking them in a big hug. "I thought that I would never see you..." Her voice was trembling and she was barely holding back tears. "Oh..." She let off them and turned to her husband and children. "He is Kurama, and our kids, Taiki and Mai." Hanabi approached the twins, trying not to startle them, but they jumped on their aunt, their curiosity being too much to bear. "Hey! It tickles!" They were like fox pups right now and were nuzzling her, each one jumping to one of the males after they were done.

Neji tried to balance the energetic boy as he spoke with his cousin. "Hinata, I have to ask for you to forgive me. It was my fault that the hunters came after Kurama. But if you can't, I'll understand..." She offered a warm smile and picked up Taiki. "It's all in the past, I'm happier than ever now."

They went to the 'merchant' area, enabling the three humans to meet more cursed people and get a better grasp of Hinata's new life. There was a lion and a fox who took an interest on Hanabi though. The older of the two sisters let out a giggle at the situation, that was defused through Kurama flinging the two males away.

The reunited family had to part after a while, but they promised to write as often as possible through Toneri until they settled matters back in Konoha. They planned to live in the area as soon as they could. "Goodbye and stay well." Hiashi had taken his lost daughter in a tight hug, showing briefly how worried he had been for her health. "Take care Hinata, we will return." The kids cried a little, not wanting to see their family separated so soon. "Shh, they promised to come back, so calm down..." Kurama had to hold the twins so they wouldn't latch on their grandfather and aunt and uncle.

* * *

Kami was staring at the result of Amaterasu's experiment with her world, not saying a word. "Say something." The sun goddess tried to meet the eyes of her superior. "... so you went down that route... ... but considering who you married, it's so predictable." It earned her a smack to her forehead, than went up to a face grab. "You dare talk like that...?" She regretted her words instantly.


	16. Notice

To any follower or reader, I'm actually focusing on a Guild Wars x World of Warcraft x Naruto crossover, but instead of being my typical KyuuHina it's going to be NaruHina. **Do not post comments on this chapter, it will be deleted soon.**


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